10 Most Capable And "worth Their Weight" Civilian Jeeps Of All Time:

[Comanche County]

Okay, caught myself thinking about what Jeeps were the most capable and what Jeeps have earned their owners the most money.   This list was just off the top of my head...but civilian Jeeps only.  One could easily make the argument that the WWII MB, GPW or Korean War M38 earned its due more than any other Jeep.  But I'm keeping this list to "Civilian" Jeeps only and to what Jeeps have earned their owners the longest "lively hood"....read on and comment, rearrange the list whatever.......I really do think the MJ is high on the list, I'd like to place it first but I'm trying to be impartial.....anyway agree or flame my list, no worries bros!  Its just for fun.

. :MJ 1: .

 

 

10 Most capable and "worth their weight" civilian Jeeps of all time:

 

1. CJ-2A, CJ-3A, 3B, and early CJ-5 Agri-Jeeps with dual output PTOs or single front or rear or front output PTOs with farm attachments.  They had post hole diggers, buzz saw pulleys, mills, disc blade attachments, etc....They worked farms around the country from the 40' to the 60's cheaper than you could buy a similarly capable tractor.  Like their predecessors that won the war, these jeeps assisted in placing the American heartland as the main food exporter of the world, where it still is today.
2. DJ3A, DJ5 - I hate to put it above the Comanche but these postal Jeeps have logged millions of miles delivering our mail.  As innocent as they are, they've done more work than any and second only to work done by WWII and Agri-Jeeps.
3. 87'-92' Comanche Metric ton 4x4s - no vehicle has matched the payload and towing capacity with as high a fuel mileage ever.  Still seen running around and used by lawn care and home improvement small businesses around the country to this day.
4. 87'-92' Comanche, 4.0L or 2.5L 2x4s,,,,more or less due to the same reason as above, but tons of these were used as simple parts runners for untold how many auto parts stores, lots of mileage and earnings for these seemingly simple Jeeps.
5. 87'-01' XJs, still performing soccer mom duties, pet grooming, lawn care, and delivery duties, etc to this day.  So many produced, and so many still earning their due.
6. M715 - Long and storied service in wild land and airport fire fighting duties all around the country.
7. J10 or J20 4x4, 6 cyl, or v8, any year.  Lots of hay and feed hauled by these, just not at the fuel savings of an MJ. I just don't think their service years were as long as MJs due to reliability reasons.
8. FC150 or FC170, any year, good payload, lots of farm related duties, PTO attachments for farm duties, but drivability was marginal with top speeds around 45-50 mph.
9. Tie - LJ, CJ6, and CJ8, any years - Good mileage, small payload.  Could probably place the CJ8 above the others in terms of work done over the years, but they're all jeeps from the same DNA essentially. Reagan had one, and hauled firewood with it, but not as much as an MJ could. :brows:
10. CJ-10, The perennial airport tug for decades, probably towed plenty of U-2s, Blackbirds and F117s in secret locations that we'll never know about.  Doesn't really fit the criteria of a civilian Jeep but I was running out of ideas when #10 on the list came around.  :thumbsup:

Honorable mention to the CJ5 - due to the thirty plus years it hauled families out on weekend trips for fun and adventure.  That's got to count for something...just not a work related Jeep.

[johnj92131]

The XJ belongs above the MJ, far and away.  The Agri-Jeeps sure earned their keep and kept the story going.  Agree with you about postal jeeps being worth their weight.

 

Bottom line is the Comanche was a niche product.  Other Jeeps got the bacon home and paid for AMC to keep going for years.  The MJ did not do that.  And as far as high mpg - the MJ is nowhere near the top of the list.  Want a 1 ton payload?  Get an 85 Toyota 4 banger.  Way better mpg and just as solid an engine as the 4.0  Still, glad I have my BigTon long bed Comanche.

[Comanche County]

Thanks for the input.  :thumbsup: Great points, but such high fallutin' Toyo fanfare is not within the rules, (which have not been set yet) :yes:  and the rules do not have to make sense at all,,,,its Jeeps only.

 

Yeah we could really get into which Jeep has earned more the XJ or the MJ, but I'm kinda basing my order on the more blue collar get dirty kinda work.  But if not, then I'd have to agree with you due to sheer numbers, the XJ surely has "out earned" the MJ, but, you can throw 2K lbs worth of bricks in an MJ in a heartbeat and that's a little tougher to do that with an XJ.

 

Of course my criteria is not scientific based, its more of a system like on "Who's line is it anyways", where the points don't matter.  :yes:
 

So I still place the MJ above the XJ...(okay, okay, I'm like Simon Cowell, judging a 20 something year old hot chick against an ugly dude who's played guitar for 30 years,,,,,,I think MJs are just sexier whether they can sing or not, I like em and they get more points)  :brows:

[mnkyboy]

Want a 1 ton payload?  Get an 85 Toyota 4 banger.  Way better mpg and just as solid an engine as the 4.0  Still, glad I have my BigTon long bed Comanche.

How about the metric ton 2.5l MJs? More power then a 22r, roughly the same MPG, just as reliable.

[dscowell]

http://www.4-the-love-of-jeeps.com/jeep-4x4.html

 

This guy did top 5 on his website.  Worth a look.

[H3RESQ]

Um...hmmm, Yes XJ (with 44 rear) above MJ in my opinion. Also, I do understand were on a Comanche site, but just no way you can have the MJ get 2 spots.... More important is that you did not mention the TJ, LJ(kinda mentioned with cj8 etc.) or JK rubicon. Sorry but for there weight they offer a lot. Especially the 10th anny JK. 4:1, lockers, steel bumpers front and rear, legit tow hooks, a nice tow rating, GPS,and seating for 5 (that is damn capable and worth its weight). I know many have lived the life of a mall crawler, but so many other in your list did as well.

[Comanche County]

You're right about the new JKs, there's a quite a few in our local club, so nice!  Most capable Jeeps ever period, but how do they earn their keep?  They're too expensive for someone running a small business to use it as a runaround vehicle and it doesn't have all that much storage space. 

[H3RESQ]

They can haul more than an XJ, get better milage, have a convertible top, and actually has more storage space than an XJ too. Price, well ya on a Rubicon. Honestly though you can get into a X model 4x4 4 door pretty cheap.

[Incommando]

The CJ10 was sold as a pick-up truck type vehicle to civilians...but for export including to Canada. A CJ10 is a unique body on a J-truck derived chassis utilizing the same drivetrain as the matching J-truck of that year but with the option of a Nissan-sourced diesel. The diesel was a real crappy one that made 90hp/150 #/' of tq. That is why the 2wd tug retained a transfer case that was locked into low range...such gearing was the only way the tug could move anything. Scouts had a  turbo on this same engine but it only added 15 hp & 25 TQ. For the road going version they were just a plain turd. The tug version was designated the CJ10A. 

[Comanche County]

Yeah you're right, I was reaching on #10 and like H3resq said, shouldn't be two MJs there... :D